My book:

Transforming to Joy;

Responding to My Son’s Struggle with Addiction

by Lisa L. Frechette, M.Ed, M.A.

Slammed with the overwhelmingly painful behaviors resulting from my son's struggle with addiction changed me - for the better. I share my journey of hope and healing in my book.

praise for Lisa’s book

Invaluable Insight

Reading Lisa’s story helped me get to know her in a meaningful way but most importantly it gave me invaluable insight into the many ways we navigate deep unspeakable pain.  I am honored to know Lisa and inspired by her willingness to share her story.

- Liz Walker, tv news anchor, minister, humanitarian

Shift Negative Events

Transforming to Joy beautifully shows us how to shift negative events in our life to joyous ones. Lisa Frechette’s memoir gently demonstrates that loss need not stunt our growth but can instead become a catalyst for something greater.

- Dr. Vidisha A. Patel, therapist

Clear and Helpful Practices

Transforming to Joy allows us to follow one mother's journey through an emotional family roller coaster and presents clear and helpful practices to ease the path for the rest of us. I highly recommend it for anyone who has an addicted family member.

- Corey Folsom, author, relationship coach

Written & Read Like Poetry

Lisa's book is written and read like poetry which flows beautifully with the interwoven quotes. Lisa, and her son Adam's spirits, float through the sentences. As a recovering alcoholic myself, I found great healing with their story. I could feel the struggles and joys of addiction and recovery.

- Cynthia C. White, holistic nutrition consultant & addiction counselor

I Connected

I connected with many situations in Transforming to Joy and many others will too. Your faith and strength is inspirational.

- Donna B, mother of an alcoholic/addict 

This Book is a Nurturing Force

From the moment I started to read Lisa’s incredible book, I was taken with how she expressed the journey of hurt and pain around her son’s addictions. This book is a nurturing force in how to find our own way to cope with the addiction that has taken hold of our loved ones.

- Bonnie C, fifty year member of Al-Anon

Live More Joyfully

For a long time, I let my dad’s struggles with alcoholism and addiction dictate my mood and many aspects of my life.  Like Lisa, however, I found a way to tap into my creativity to help me start to figure out how to heal and eventually respond in a mindful and healthy way.  Lisa’s book reminds me to dig back into my toolbox, so I can respond and live more joyfully.

- Lauren Beth Jacobs, attorney, holistic health facilitator

Grief is Truly Transformative

In her book, Transforming to Joy, Lisa invites us to stand and to walk with her as she dwells with and moves through all her experience. We learn from her beautifully shared story that loss and grief is truly transformative when we honor its importance in our lives and trust that we will, once again, find joy. 

- Ian Bland, grief counselor

My Brother's Addiction

For many years I’ve been struggling with my brother’s addiction. It's been painful for our relationship and that of our family. I’m very inspired by Transforming to Joy and look forward to learning more about ways to pursue a healthy relationship with my brother, however that may look.

- Laura T, sibling of an addict

Help Parents Cope

Transforming to Joy is a powerful book. It has a really great message and can help a lot of parents who struggle with how to respond to their child's addiction. I am 2.5 years sober and can see how this could have helped my parents cope during the worst parts of my addiction and alcoholism.

- Sean M, recovering alcoholic

Opened Me

Lisa’s book opened me up and provided inspiration for new ways I could work with my high school students. We all have things in life that challenge us and her story demonstrates that we can cross over and transform them. 

- Patrick Walker, high school teacher

Gained Knowledge

As a teenager, I read Lisa’s powerful story and could easily feel lost having no experience dealing with the scary events connected with addiction. But reading the story I gained knowledge. I immediately knew I had to share it with friends. 

- Reece W, high school student

Lisa reads from Transforming to Joy; Responding to My Son’s Struggle with Addiction.

Transforming to Joy…the backstory ~

For over twenty years, I have been painting in abstract form. It's a relaxing, healing, and meditative experience. One hot humid summer day, I felt inspired to paint outdoors on a recycled piece of metal using red paint. My young adult son, Adam, came to mind and heart. Red was his favorite color. Adam had suffered with addictions and died drunk. Letting go on that fiercely hot summer day I felt Adam's presence and allowed the painting process to work through me. The result is Adam's Red painting.

A year or two later, it came to me that the painting would translate beautifully and make a bold clothing and accessories line. Of course the clothing and accessories line is called Adam's Red!

Not long after I began writing about our mother-son relationship. As this story evolved into book form it seemed only natural to translate Adam's Red painting into a lotus featured on the book jacket. The book is called  Transforming to Joy; Responding to My Son's Struggle With Addiction.

This unplanned process took place over a period of years. It still amazes me to look back and reflect upon the ease with which all of this has unfolded.

Adam’s Red continues to inspire me to respond to the challenges of life with courage and love. It reminds my heart to open to both the pain and joy in life. It reminds me that love is never extinguished.

May our story inspire you to welcome deeper healing, hope, and love.

❤️

Lisa

Lisa L. Frechette, M.A., M.Ed.

photos of adam ~

ADAM SHAW ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP (ASAS)

A scholarship has been created in Adam’s memory.

Set New Goals & Break More Limits

"Time to Set New Goals & Break More Limits" were  the last words spoken on social media by Adam before his death. It has become the theme for the Adam Shaw Athletic Scholarship (ASAS).

Adam was a 2009 Gardner High School* graduate who played and loved many team sports, especially baseball. With this passion in mind, the ASAS team created a scholarship intended for college bound male athletes from his alma mater.

The ASAS team carefully chooses male scholarship recipients based on the following criteria:

  • Athletic commitment

  • Financial need

  • Potential for success

Since its inception in 2014, the ASAS team has awarded twenty-seven scholarships totaling $10,224. 

We welcome donations to support young men in need of financial assistance for college. Contact us here to make donation arrangements.

Thank you for helping to make a difference! 

❤️

The ASAS team

*Gardner, Massachusetts